Sealed headlight having auxiliary reflector



March 24,1953 J. L. GRUPEN EI'AL SEALED HEADLIGHT HAVING AUXILIARYREFLECTOR Filed Aug. 27, 1949 mm .M g. m

Zhwentors JAMES L. GAl/PEN STANLEY M WHEELER *6. 5. Jim

Gttorneg Patented Mar. 24, 1953 SEALED HEADLIGHT HAVING AUXILIARYREFLECTOR James L. Grupen, San Gabriel,and Stanley M.

Wheeler, Los Angeles, Calif. 1

Application August 27, 1949, Serial No. 112,694

6 Claims. (Cl. Hit-41.35)

This invention relates to lamps and deals more particularly withimprovements in headlights for automobiles, locomotives, etc., thepresent invention being an improvement of the headlamp disclosed in ourpending application entitled Sealed Headlight and the like, S. N,728,000, filed February 14, 1947.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction relating to the manner of supportingan auxiliary parabolicreflector or mirror within a primary reflector of a headlight wherebymanufacture is facilitated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headlight, as indicated,in which all upwardly directed direct rays of a light source are eithermasked out or are reflected to become rays that are horizontal ordownwardly directed, downwardly directed direct rays being uninterceptedsince the latter do not contribute to glare.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawings merelyshow and the following description merely describes one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a lightprojecting lamp embodyingthe present invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view as seen in the direction of the arrows of line 33of Fig.1.

The lamp that is illustrated comprises, generally, a primary parabolicreflector 5, a secondary parabolic reflector 6 within reflector 5, alight-passinghousingl integrally connecting the two reflectors to definea rearwardly facing cavity 8, a front light-passing lens 9 enclosing theinterio'rof reflector 5, a light source I at the focal point ofreflector 5, a light ray mask it carried by said lightsource, and aremovable closure 82 for cavity 8 and mounting said light source. Theconstruction is such that reflectors and t and housing I are integrallymolded or otherwise suitably formedjof, transparent material such asglass or one of the light-passing plastics, and the, lens 9 is made of asimilar materiarand'fused to the front edge of reflector 5 to suitablyseal the interior'chamber 13, said chamber being thus isolated fromcavity 8. Closure l2 may be of metal or other suitable material sincethe same need not embody transparent or reflective prop:- erties.

The primary reflector 5 is circular and of generally conventionalparabolic form and as shown is one suitable for use as an automotiveheadlight. The interior of said reflector is provided with a coatedsurface l4, the same, thereby, beingwithin sealed chamber 13. The lightsource It), being on the focal center of reflector 5, upwardly directedlight rays, in the range between lines i5 and It, will be reflected as abeam defined by parallel and horizontal lines H and Na. Also, downwardlydirected rays, in the range between lines It and it, will be reflectedas a beam defined by parallel and horizontal lines 20 and 2f. The beamsrepresented by lines {l and Ila, at the top, and 20 and 2!, at thebottom, are similar to reflected beams around the entire surface ofreflector 5. Such beams are, therefore, suggestive of a torus-sectionedbeam emanating from reflector 5 around housing I.

The auxiliary reflector B is disposed in front of the light source I0,the lower edge 22 thereof being substantially opposite the center ofsaid light source and the upper edge 23 being forward ofedge 22 andconsiderably thereabove. In any case, edge 23 terminates along a curvedline, as indicated in Fig. 3, that is generated around a point locatedon the central axis of reflector 5, said line being spaced from andparallel to the curvature of the front edge of reflector 5. The face ofreflector 6 that is directed toward sealed chamber I3 is provided with areflective coating 24 so as to reside within saidsealed chamber.

It will be noted that reflector 6 has a sectorlike shape and is arrangedin opposed relation to the upper portion of reflector 5, the relativeposition being such that rays from the light source, within the rangebetween lines 25 and 26', are reflected as a beam, defined by lines 21and 28, toward the opposed portion of reflector 5, and then reflecteddownwardly outward as a light beam defined between lines 29 and 30.

The housing 1 serves as a support for reflector 6, said housingcomprising a spherically curved transparent wall 3i. which extends fromedge 22 downward to connect to reflector 5 at the rear thereof. Saidwall 3i is in front of the lower portion of light source it and freelypasses light rays in a rangebetween lines 32 and 33 that'ar'e directedoutwardly downward; Lines 32 and 33' represent "only a portionpf" theraysithat pass through wall 3 l the remaining rays, in the range betweenthe mentioned lines [8 and i9, being reflected from the lower portion ofreflector 5, as the beam 202 I.

Housing 1 further includes a top curved transparent wall 34 that extendsbetween curved edge 23 and the upper rear of reflector 5, said wallfreely passing the mentioned rays l5, I6, 26 and 21. The housing iscompleted by opposed side walls 35 that extend angularly upward from thelateral upper edges of wall 3| to the lateral edges of wall 34, andtransversely between the lateral edges of reflector 6 to the rear ofreflector 5. Since edge 22 has a, curved form in plan, reflector 6 isgenerally flat across the top and then is gradually curved to join wall3| along said curved edge 22. The rear cavity 8 is defined by thementioned walls of housing I,

The light rays above described pass from the headlight eitherhorizontally or downwardly. Between ray lines l6 and 26 there is a rangeof direct rays from the light source that normally would pass upwardlyoutward between the front upper edge of reflector and the curved upperedge 23 of reflector 6. In the present instance, the rays in this rangeare intercepted by the mask H. This mask is of suitable form tointercept only the rays between lines it and 26 and is shown as applieddirectly to the transparent envelope of the light source All. However,said mask may be carried by housing 7 as by an upwardly and inwardlycurved extension of wall 3|, thus locating the mask independently of thelight source. It should be understood that the shape of the envelope ofthe light source may vary from the spherical and conventional formshown.

The light-passing lens 9 is applied to the front edge of reflector 5 andis fused thereto along line 36 to hermetically seal the interior chamberl3 and thereby obviate oxidation that may result in deterioration ofreflector surfaces l4 and 2%.

Closure l2 for cavity 8 comprises a suitably formed plate 31 thatresides in a cavity 33 generally following the rear shape of housing 1.Means such as clips 39 removably hold said closure in place. The lightsource-an electric lamp-is carried by said closure so as to be on thefocal center of reflector 5. Said light source, of course, isreplaceable. Said closure, also may mount a parking light lamp ill, therays of which, in part, pass directly outward and, in part, arereflected outward by reflectors 5 and 6.

It will be noted that, as in the mentioned pending application,reflector 6 comprises a series of parabolic sections, the ray lines 27aand 28a reflecting from an approximate point where two such sectionsjoin, said latter lines being respectively parallel to lines 2'! and 28.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is nowregarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course,subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the inventionto the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but tocover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A sealed light beam reflecting unit comprising a primary parabolicreflector having a circular form, a light-passing lens enclosing thefront end of said reflector, a housing extending from the rear end ofsaid reflector, into the interior 4 thereof and deflning a rear-opencavity, one wall of said housing comprising an auxiliary parabolicreflector arranged forward of and in opposed relation to the upperportion of the primary reflector, said auxiliary reflector beingsubstantially sector-shaped and having a top edge curved around a pointon the axial center of the circular parabolic reflector and havinglateral edges that diverge upwardly, transparent top and lateral wallsextending rearwardly from the top and lateral edges of said auxiliaryreflector and joining vthe primary reflector, the other walls of saidhousing being transparent and below the auxiliary reflector, a closurefor the mentioned cavity, and a light source mounted on said closure atthe focal point of said primary reflector and rearward of the auxiliaryreflector.

2. A sealed light beam reflecting unit comprising a primary parabolicreflector having a circular form, a light-passing lens enclosing thefront end of said reflector, a housing extending from the rear end ofsaid reflector into the interior thereof and defining a rear-opencavity, one wall of said housing comprising an auxiliary parabolicreflector arranged forward of and in opposed relation to the upperportion of the primary reflector, said auxiliary reflector beingsubstantially sector-shaped and having a top edge curved around a pointon the axial center of the circular parabolic reflector and havinglateral edges that diverge upwardly, transparent top and lateral wallsextending rearwardly from the top and lateral edges of said auxiliaryreflector and joining the primary reflector, the other walls of saidhousing being transparent and below the auxiliary reflector, a closurefor the mentioned cavity, and a light source mounted on said closure atthe focal point of said primary reflector and rearward of the auxiliaryreflector, said housing closing the rear of said reflector and, togetherwith the mentioned front lens, sealing the interior thereof.

3. A sealed light beam reflecting unit comprising a primary parabolicreflector having a circular form, a light-passing lens enclosing thefront end of said reflector, a housing extending from the rear end ofsaid reflector into the interior thereof and defining a rear-opencavity, said housing comprising upper, lower and side transparent walls,and a parabolically curved front reflector wall that is arranged forwardof in opposed relation to the upper portion of the primary reflector andextends upwardly from the center of the latter reflector, said reflectorwall having an upwardly diverging substantially sector-like shape andconstituting an auxiliary reflector, a closure for the mentioned cavity,and a light source mounted on said closure at the focal point of saidprimary reflector and rearward of the auxiliary reflector.

4. In a headlight unit of the character described, a circular parabolicreflector, means mounting a light source at the focal point of saidreflector, an auxiliary parabolic reflector extending from a pointimmediately in front of the center of said light source upwardly andforwardly toward but spaced from the forward edge of the primaryreflector, said auxiliary reflector being opposed to the upper portionof the primary reflector and having an upwardly diverging substantiallysector-like shape, a portion of the rays from the light source beingadapted to strike both reflectors, and a mask to intercept a secondportion of said rays, the remainder. of the rays passing directlyoutward and downward beneaththe auxiliary reflector. r

5. A sealed light beam reflecting unit comprising a primary parabolicreflector having a circular form, a light-passing lens enclosing thefront end of said reflector, a housing extending from the rear end ofsaid reflector into the interior thereof and defining a rear-opencavity, one wall of said housing comprising an auxiliary parabolicreflector arranged forward of and in opposed relation to the upperportion of the primary reflector, said auxiliary reflector beingsubstantially sector-shaped and having a top edge curved around a pointon the axial center of the circular parabolic reflector and havinglateraledges that diverge upwardly, transparent top and lateral wallsextending rearwardly from the top and lateral edges of said auxiliaryreflector and joining the primary reflector, the other walls of saidhousing being transparent and below the auxiliary reflector, a closurefor the mentioned cavity, and a light source mounted on said closure atthe focal point of said primary reflector and rearward of the auxiliaryreflector, and a mask for those rays from. the light source that aredirected to pass outward between the two reflectors.

6. In a headlight having a light source, a rearwardly open housing forsaid light source, said housing comprising top, bottom and sidetransparent walls directly passing rays from the light source and aparabolic reflector in front of the upper half of the light source andreflecting rays therefrom upwardly through the top transparent wall,said reflector being sector-shaped and having an upper curved edgesubstantially wider than the lower edge thereof.

JAMES L. GRUPEN. STANLEY M. WHEELER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,234 Graham Feb. 3, 19251,578,079 Davis Mar. 23, 1926 1,735,090 Pollard Nov. 12, 1929 2,318,311Hicks May 4, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 493,353 EnglandOct. 3, 1938

